For a long time, Iryna could not believe that a full-scale war had begun. She hoped that maybe the Russian soldiers would realise that their mission was wrong and return home, but eventually she realised that they were really coming to kill.

Iryna's family heard rockets flying overhead and at one point heard an explosion nearby. Iryna found her calling in volunteering. In March, she was told that camouflage nets were being woven at her school. She immediately realised that she couldn't just sit around and joined in.